Study of the Characteristics of Pulmonary Trunk in Pulmonary Hypertension Secondary to Left Heart Disease Using Pressure–Velocity Loops (PU-Loops)

Figures

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  Fig. 1 a: Pulmonary artery pressure and velocity loop during a cardiac cycle in a control subject. b: 10 consecutive pulmonary artery PU-loops in another control patient with atrial fibrillation (Af). c: Pulmonary artery PU-loop during a cardiac cycle in a patient with PH-LHD. d: Pulmonary artery PU-loop during a cardiac cycle in a patient with atrial septal defect (ASD) without pulmonary hypertension.

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  Fig. 2 Simultaneous 5 consecutive flow velocity (Vm) and pressure (Pm) tracings from main pulmonary artery during release of Valsalva maneuver in the same control subject as in Fig. 1a.

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  Fig. 3 Main pulmonary arterial pressure (Pm) and velocity (Vm) loops (PU-loops) during the release of Valsalva maneuver from the waveform shown in Fig. 2. The initial part of the first loop, indicating a wave speed of 283 cm/s (solid arrow), became more gentle in accordance with the decrease in diastolic pressure, resulting in a wave speeds of 212 cm/s (dotted arrow) at the last PU-loop.

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  Fig. 4 Change of regional pulse wave velocity at pulmonary trunk before and during Valsalva maneuver in 9 control subjects. Data are presented as a box and whisker plot with median and 25–75th percentiles.

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  Fig. 5 Change of Sy/x at pulmonary trunk before and during Valsalva maneuver in 9 control subjects. Data are presented as a box and whisker plot with median and 25–75th percentiles.

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  Fig. 6 Comparison of regional pulse wave velocity (PWV) at pulmonary trunk in patients with PH-LHD and in control subjects. Data are presented as a box and whisker plot with median and 25–75th percentiles.

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  Fig. 7 Comparison of Sy/x at pulmonary trunk in patients with PH-LHD and in control subjects. Data are presented as a box and whisker plot with median and 25–75th percentiles.